Plate type condenser



Nov. 25, 1952 T. H. POLAD PLATE TYPE CONDENSER Filed Jan. 7, 1950 IN VEN TOR. 7107214.:- fa/ai Patented Nov. 25, 1952 PLATE TYPE CONDENSER Thomas H. Polad, Dowagiac, Mich., assignor to Rudy Manufacturing Company, Dowagiac, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 7, 1950, Serial No. 137,382

Claims.

This invention relates generally to heat exchangers which are particularly adapted among other uses as condensers for domestic refrigerators.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved heat exchange unit of the character described.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a unit which is easy and economical to manufacture.

A further object is to provide such a unit which is efliclent in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for permitting cooling air to be admitted to the condenser to dilute the heat laden air passing thereover.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the specification, the appended claims and the drawings, in which drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a domestic refrigerator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the exchanger taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 indicates generally a domestic refrigerator cabinet having a front access door 2 and a condenser 4 secured to the rear wall thereof and spaced therefrom to provide a chimneylike passageway or flue 6 for the upward flow of air for removing heat from the condenser 4.

The condenser 4, shown more fully in Fig. 2, comprises a platelike sheet material member 8 which is preferably fabricated of metal and which has along its spaced opposite edges Ill and I2 curved side walls [4 which are formed with additional flanges or feet H5 at their extending end portions which feet may be apertured to receive screws or other securing means for securing the condenser 4 to the rear wall of the cabinet l. Circular openings I5 in the walls l4 are aligned with the apertures in the feet to provide access for a screw driver or other tool. A substantially central platelike portion l! is therefore spaced from the rear wall of the cabinet to provide the flue 6.

The portion H has a series of spaced, lanced slots with the adjacent metal flanges in the opposite direction. A series of flanges l8 and 20 extend substantially transversely between the edges 10 and I2. The flanges l8 are bent outwardly at an acute angle with respect to the plane of the portion I! in a direction such that with the condenser 4 in proper position upon the cabinet I they will extend downwardly at an acute angle with respect to the vertical. The flanges 20 are bent inwardly at an acute angle with respect to the plane I! to provide a second series of fins which extend upwardly and inwardly at an acute angle with respect to the vertical. The deflection of the material which forms the fins I8 and 20 provides passageways 22 which extend through the platelike member 8, through which air may move inwardly and upwardly within the chimney.

A sinuous fluid conducting conduit 23 which may be steel tubing, or made of copper, aluminum or the like, is provided with a series of spaced substantially parallel portions 24 connected by reversely bent end portions 26. The reversely bent end portions 26 are further bent at 21 to follow the curve of the wall portions l4 at the opposite edges Ill and 12 of the member 8. The spacing between the conduit portions 24 is preferably equal to the spacing between adjacent ones of the fins 20 whereby the portions 24 may be secured to the surface 28 of the portion I? from which the fins 20 extend and within the obtuse angle formed by the fins 20 with the surface 28 whereby the conduit portions 24 have substantial surface contact with the portion II. The tubing is initially mechanically held in place by tabs 30 which are sheared or otherwise formed from the fins 20 which clamp the tubing portions 24 into the obtuse angles. Subsequent to the securing of the conduit 23 to the portion I! and the clamping of the conduit portions 24 by means of the tab 30, the conduit portions 24 may be soldered, brazed, or otherwise suitably secured to the fins 20 and portion IT to provide for a more positive heat exchange therebetween.

With the condenser 4 positioned as shown in a vertical manner against the rear wall of the cabinet I with the portion il spaced therefrom, a natural draft will exist, causing air to move upwardly through the chimney or flue B which air will be heated when cooling the condenser 4 and removing the superheat of the liquid within the tubing or conduit 23. Preferably, the conduit 23 is connected for counterfiow of fluid relative to that of the cooling air so that the inlet for the gas is at 32 and the outlet for the liquid is at 34. By the use of a condenser 4 of the type described, additional cool air is admitted through the passageways 22 for diluting the already partially heated air therein. The convection flow of air upwardly within the flue, due to the heating of the air, produces a flow of cool outside air inwardly through the passageways 22 which contacts the adjacent conduit portion located above the passageways. This cools the tubes substantially below that which would otherwise occur were all of the air admitted only through the open lower end of the condenser, as has been customary in the primary art. The fins I8 direct the air which has passed over one of the portions 24 into the chimney and away from the next higher conduit portion 24. The fins 20 not only serve to provide for greater metal-to-metal contact area between the conduit portions 24 and the fins 20 and portion I! for greater heat transfer to the member 8, but also serve to mechanically strengthen the portion [7 whereby a lighter gauge metal, and one having more rapid heat transfer characteristics, may be used. By such a construction, the sheet material may be used more eificiently to obtain greater B. t. u. capacity of the condenser with a resultant saving, particularly in the tonnage of sheet material required, as well as in the length of tubing utilized.

As shown in the drawings, the passageway 22 extends substantially horizontally between the side edges IE] and I2 which construction has been found satisfactory, but if desired they could be placed at a slight angle with respect thereto so that as the conduit 23 extends from the top downwardly through the condenser 4 it will provide for gravity circulation of any liquid such as oil and condensed liquid which might otherwise collect in the condenser and pass as slugs out of the outlet 34.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A condenser for refrigerating systems adapted to be arranged against a cabinet wall, a plate-like sheet member of heat conducting material having curved wall portions extending along opposite side edges thereof adapted to be secured to such wall and to thereby position said member in spaced relation thereto, said member having spaced inwardly and outwardly deflected louvers extending transversely of said side edges providing passageways disposed angularly upward from the exterior to the interior side thereof, and a fluid conveying conduit in sinuous formation having spaced generally parallelly arranged sections secured in heat exchange relation to the interior side of said member beneath said louvers within said pathways.

2. A condenser for refrigerating systems adapted to be arranged against a cabinet wall, a plate-like sheet member of heat conducting material having flange portions extending along opposite side edges thereof adapted to be secured to such wall and to thereby position said member in spaced relation thereto, said member having a first surface facing such wall and a second surface opposite to said first surface, said member being provided with a first set of spaced outstruck louvers extending outwardly and downwardly from said second surface and extending generally transversely to said flanges, said member being provided with a second set of spaced louvers extending inwardly and upwardly from said first surface and extending generally parallel to said first set forming passageways directing air from the exterior of said member upwardly to the interior thereof, and a fluid conveying conduit in sinuous formation having spaced generally parallelly arranged sections secured in heat exchange relation to said first surface and individually to individual ones of said second set of louvers in the path of upward flow of air from the passageways.

3. A condenser for refrigerating systems adapted to be arranged against a cabinet wall, a platelike sheet member of heat conducting material having curved wall portions extending along opposite side edges thereof adapted to be secured to such wall and to thereby position said member in spaced relation thereto, said member having spaced inwardly upward and outwardly downward deflected louvers extending transversely of said side edges forming upwardly directed passageways for air from the exterior to the interior of the member, a fluid conveying conduit in sinuous formation having spaced generally parallelly arranged sections secured in heat exchange relation to said member between said louvers in the path of upward flow of air from the passageways, the sinuous ends of said conduit being curved to follow the curved wall portion at the sides of said member.

1. In a heat exchanger unit, a relatively thin sheet member of heat conducting material, spaced sections of said member being deformed outwardly of a surface of said member to provide a first series of spaced fins, adjoinizr sections of said member being deformed inwardly of said surface to provide a second series of spaced fins, said member having a series of spaced passageways formed by the deforming of said sections which directs air upwardly within the member from the exterior thereof, and a series of interconnected conduit portions individuall arranged on said surfaces and intermediate said passageways in the path of upward flow of air therethrough.

5. In a heat exchanger unit, a relatively thin sheet-like member, spaced sections of said member being deformed to provide spaced fins directed inwardly and outwardly forming spaced passageways for directing air from the exterior upwardly through the interior of said member, a series of interconnected conduit portions carried by said member in heat exchange relation therewith, said portions being located intermediate said passageways and extending generally longitudinally thereto and in the path of upwardly moving air from the passageways di posed directly therebelow.

THOMAS H. POLAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,726,360 Modine Aug. 27, 1927 1,880,877 Dick Oct. 4, 1932 2,471,960 Johnson May 31, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 109,413 Australia Jan. 11, 1940 113,395 Australia July 17, 1941 

